although the president has the authority to declare it in the natural -- national interest to lift the ban, another path is for the department of commerce to approve an application for expert of crude oil or condensate under a provision in the law permitting the applicant -- permitting the application, that can be demonstrated those fuels cannot reasonably be marketed here in the united states. then, in our nation's refining capacity has already emerged, and common sense suggests the mismatch should meet these qualifications. if the administration is , orlling to act on its own if that statutory authority needs further modification, i am prepared to introduce legislation to modernize the laws. opponents of trade will be quick to assert, too often without citing any evidence, that exports of crude oil will raise gasoline prices for american consumers. this claim is wrong, but it must be dealt with immediately, and it must be dealt with head-on. i have said repeatedly, and i firmly mean it, that the goal must be to make energy more affordable. if we want to bring down gasoline prices, we